Archive for Salons and Wellness Services

Except for one brief, misguided episode in the mid-eighties, I have pretty much stuck to three low maintenance hairstyles: my husband’s favorite –long and straight and usually pulled into a ponytail, my favorite – the pixie cut my mother introduced me to when I was a toddler, and the inevitable in-between bobs during those years when I was in transition between pixie and ponytail.

I am currently in pixie stage. Pixie places few demands on my time from day-to-day, but requires the attention of a good stylist every three weeks. Let it go four weeks, and I’m well on the way to one of those transition bobs. Subject it to the touch of a lesser stylist, and I look like I stepped straight out of the barber shop. Main Street Mechanicsburg has become a magnet for high-style salons, so I decided to venture out the front door and down a few blocks to see if one of the new salons was up to the challenge of a great three-week haircut that requires nothing more than a comb to maintain.

The first salon between the Orris House Inn and the town center is Moda, a new salon opened by a young couple with experience operating a successful salon in Harrisburg. I called Moda, described my haircut and preferences, and made an appointment with the stylist recommended by the helpful receptionist for the next day.

The interior of the salon is bright and contemporary, with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors and white frosted glass pendants over the stylists’ stations. My stylist, Hassie, listened to what I wanted and proceeded to mist and clip away, carefully, but efficiently. Twenty-two minutes later I had a great looking haircut. She did something clever with a jar of gel to make my hair much more “high style” than I would ever do myself, so of course my new haircut looked terrific walking out of the salon. Dress-up, out-to-dinner terrific. But it’s the next day, and the next week, with my limited hair care skills that puts a cut to the true test.

The next day after I washed it and invested a whopping two minutes to blow it dry it looked great. One week later, even if I skip the blow dry it still looks great. I’m beginning to regret that I didn’t pay close attention when Hassie did her wonders with the gel. Perhaps even I could manage a more styled look. I definitely will return, and most likely a jar of gel and a styling lesson by Hassie will be part of my next trip to Moda.

Moda is located at 56 W. Main Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. (717) 766-1115